The Fire of One and Ice of Another
by PonderRose
Summary: Takes place ten years after start of Twilight New Moon. After Edward left Bella, she decided to pursue a PhD in Europe. Everything is going great until one night a new vampire named Zero Kiryuu shows up. Things aren't much better when he tells Bella that the vampire council in Brussels has assigned him as her new protector. Very jealous Edward isn't happy with this situation.
1. Who the Hell are You!

I looked Edward straight on; his stare was glued to mine. "Y-you don't…. want me?" His lips parted revealing that he was currently at war with himself; fighting over what to say next. But my stupid hormonal teenage brain was too young to recognize that- it was something I didn't realize until years later. "No," he finally forced himself to say.

Now, looking back my reaction upon hearing this was… overly dramatic to say the least. I was an eighteen-year-old girl who hadn't dated anyone besides Edward Cullen. I was willing to toss my life away to be with him- literally. Without comprehending how young and innocent I was, how much of the world I hadn't seen yet, I thought that I was acting perfectly rational when I said "that changes things- a lot". But it didn't change things; not at that moment. I would look back at this time of my life and cringe- no one looks back at their late teens and thinks "yeah, I had everything sorted out".

Still, I knew Edward didn't believe me; he knew that this changed nothing- at least not yet. His face gave the slightest hint of a cringe. "But if it's not too much to ask, can you… promise me something," I watched in mild disgust at his audacity to ask me a favor after all this. I guess he felt it right to continue once I gave a little huff. "Don't do anything reckless, for Charlie's sake." For Charlie's sake… For friken Charlie's sake? "And I'll promise something in return. This is the last time you'll ever see me; I won't come back. And you can go on with your life without any interference from me. It'll be like I never existed, I promise."

And he kept that promise.

Ten Years Later- Edinburgh, Scotland:

I sat nervously as my potential supervisor quietly reviewed my proposal for what felt like the millionth time. We had been working on it since June and now was the moment of truth. My heart felt like it leapt out of my chest when she set it down, glancing up at me with a promising twinkle in her eye. "Well, Miss Swan, let me be the first to congratulate you on your acceptance into our PhD programme." You could hear my cheer from outside the building.

The first thing I did upon exiting the History department building was yank out my phone to call the most important man in my life. "Hello?" A gruff, masculine voice answered within seconds. "I got in! I got in, Daddy! I'm going to be a doctor!" "Well that's just swell, kiddo!" Daddy's proud tone sent an unconscious smile across my lips. He had been my number one supporter all the way through grad school, including my year abroad in undergrad and masters in the UK. Though he didn't show it when I told him, he was tickled pink when I said I was applying for my PhD; I'll be the first-born Swan female family member to get a doctorate. I'll say one thing about Edward dumping me back in high school; the lack of boys from there on out made it a hell of a lot easier to focus on my studies.

This was obviously a very special day and seeing as I had the rest of it off, I wanted to just have some fun. Now fun for me at this age was museums and MacDonald's for dinner; I was an adult now but still flat broke. And seeing that I'm now a PhD candidate, that likely wasn't going to change anytime soon. I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the Scottish National Museum before getting my deluxe chicken nugget meal to go. Dinner was consumed in front of a bunch of old Disney cartoons; my mind was too tired for anything more….. complicated. Yes, despite everything that happened, life was pretty sweet. And that's when the fire nation attacked! Haha, bit of Avatar humor there- but seriously, I had no clue as to what was going to happen literally that night.

After finishing up my nuggets and fries, I decided to go for a walk along the seawall. It wasn't light out anymore, but it wasn't exactly dark out either; just light enough for me to feel safe. But then, I always felt safe in Edinburgh. The evening air was perfect- not too cool or dry, just right. With my head turned towards the calm water, my eyes gently shut as I drew in a deep, long breath. Ah, yes; this was living- truly living. I'll become a doctor of history and teach at a university somewhere in Europe; anywhere so long as I was in Europe. I discovered my love for the continent when I came over for the first time when I was twenty-three. That trip changed everything, including me. I found a previously hidden passion for history and desire to read as much as I could get my hands onto. And I did- and here I am. My lips parted slightly as I sucked in the sea air again. Here I am….

With the upmost cinematic timing, my eyes reopened to see this tall figure standing out ahead of me on the path. The next few seconds are hard to describe; it all seemed too surreal. But I will try. There, right in front of me, was this entity- this man. Only… I knew it wasn't a man; I knew that with one single glance. He was something I hadn't seen in ten years; something I hadn't even thought of, remembered in such a long time. It was like he had reawaken this consciousness inside of me; a series of facts I've known but buried deep down inside of myself. This man…. this beautiful, beautiful man- he was a vampire. I knew; I took one look at him and I knew. What's more, he knew that I knew.

This solitary fact dominated everything else about him, though the extra elements started to slowly slip into my mind. He was tall, slender, and extraordinarily handsome. I don't think "hot" is the right way to define it. He was so much more than any English words could accurately depict. Imagine looking at a lovely old oil painting while listening to soft piano music; he was that kind of feeling you experience in such a scenario. That's what he was- an experience. I wasn't looking at him; I was experiencing him, his presence. The way his dark clothes fit tightly on his figure, how his thin yet seemingly strong hands rested by his side…. The way his eyes were piercing mine. Why he was staring, or rather gawking at me with such intensity, I had no clue. All I knew in that moment was that he was a vampire; a being I hadn't encountered or even seen in ten years.

All what I just described- that whole thought process took like ten seconds in reality. I went from watching him with the widest eyes to continuing on my walk; in the opposite direction of course. So what if he's a vampire? He's not Edward, and even if he was, I'd still walk away. I was too old to get involved in any of that supernatural stuff; not with PhD just in my reach. That's why I felt a hard thump in my chest when something with an ice-cold grip grabbed hold of my upper arm. I didn't have enough time to scream, instantly spinning my head around to see the vampire holding onto me- very firmly, I might add. While my face was panicked, his was solemn and serious.

"Don't scream," the vampire ordered in his deep, very masculine tone. He must have read my facial expression as my mouth instinctively shot open, ready to shriek my lungs out. Oh, hell no! This is not going to happen to me- not today! I'm done with vampires; I'm so done with all of that. Unfortunately for me, my plan was interrupted as his grip tightened on my arm. "I said don't scream." "O-ow! You're hurting me!" My eyes winced a little as I began to struggle for escape. It was clear that he wasn't letting me go anywhere anytime soon. Instead, he elected to treat me like a child and scan around while I continued to futilely toss and turn my arm. "It's not safe out here. We have to get you home."

You can't picture how large my eyes grew as this powerful vampire proceeded to scoop me up into his arms princess-style. Ok, that's when enough was enough. I had to get out of here and it wasn't going to be anywhere with him. I began thrashing about- again, in vain. His eyes rolled like he was dealing with a disobedient child- also again. Which I might add, felt extremely insulting. I had a masters and was a PhD candidate, and here I was being handled with such annoyance. Well sorry kidnapping me wasn't so easy, creep! "Let go! Put me down! Put me down now!"

Oh my god, I felt like screaming in anger when he dared to sigh exasperated. "Just relax. I'm taking you back home." "What?! No! No, I'm not going anywhere with you! Put me down!" "I will, when you're safe inside. Now be quiet; I don't want to draw anymore unnecessary attention to us, or should I say you." "What?" This caught my undivided attention. But instead of saying anything more, the handsome yet abducting vampire checked around again. Seeing it was safe, he leapt upwards, heading rapidly towards my apartment building. I was so scared that I didn't hesitate to bury my face into his chest, and the next time I opened them, we were both situated in the middle of my living room floor.


	2. Literally No Say

Mystery vampire proceeded to toss me down on the couch; not put down- toss. My face went from horrified to enraged as I saw him shut my window blinds and check to see if the front door was locked. He seemed too familiar with my apartment for my comfort, which prompted me to act- aggressively, I might add.

"Who the hell do you think you are?!" I demanded, jumping to my feet to give the most confidence stance I could muster. "Your protector," he simply replied in a matter-of-factly tone. Oh god, I just wanted to rip the smug, unamused look off his stupid face. "That doesn't tell me anything! Who are you?! And how did you know where I live?! And…. what do you mean "protector"?!" I could literally feel the vein stick out of my forehead when he then dropped himself onto a chair opposite me and rub his hand over his face. This… this utter asshole! If I didn't know any better, he was treating all of this nonsense like a job.

"Look, I didn't ask for any of this, ok? I was assigned to you." "Assigned to….? What are you talking about?! Who assigned you to me, and more importantly, why?" "I can't tell you anything; that's not my job. I'm here to make sure that no vampires get their grubby hands on you." "What vampires? I haven't seen any vampires for ten years; you're actually the first," my eyes narrowed onto him suspiciously. His hand ran across his face again; he didn't even bother to look at me- the cad. "Again, I can't say anything; I'm not allowed too, so don't bother trying to pry any answers out of me. Just know that there are some very powerful and nasty vampires who know who you are and where you live. I'm here to protect you from them- that's it."

"Powerful and nasty vampires…? Wait, are you talking about the Volturi?" "You think the Volturi are powerful?" Mystery vampire sounded slightly insulted. Oops. Not knowing what to say, I merely shrugged my shoulders- which seemed like the right move seeing as his eyes went from me back up to the ceiling again. "The Volturi are nothing compared to what's hunting you. Hence why I'm here." "W-wait… s-something's hunting me? Like "me" me?" "What did I just say? I can't tell you anything, so would you give it a rest? I'm tired." You're tired?! Try being abducted by a mythological predator and being informed that something more powerful than the Volturi is currently hunting you! I'm the one who should be exhausted here.

That's when the relation of the word "protector" came to my mind. I get it, some vampire league outside the Volturi made him come guard me from said evil vampires. Like a frikin job; I'm nothing but a job to him. But what does this job entail exactly? That's what I was worried about. "Uh so… what are you supposed to do exactly? To protect me, I mean." "Just what it means- I'm going to protect you, probably for the rest of your pitifully short human life." The rest of my life… ok; ok- this is not ok. I never agreed to being guarded by some vampiric bulldog forever. This was not going to happen- no way, no how. Not if I had any say about it, which- for some unknown reason- I thought I had.

"Um, no. No, that's really not necessary." "What?" This caught his attention, again for some reason. Mystery vampire's posture shifted as he straightened up to stare me right in the eye. This did make me waver a bit, but I resolved to stay firm in my decision. "I don't need a full-time bodyguard. I've lived in Europe for two years and never even seen another vampire." Well, until tonight. I cleared my throat before continuing, needing to pause after that sharp glare mystery vampire shot me. "I'm a PhD candidate; I don't have time to be carried and carted around like a princess. Look, how about this? If I see any vampires or other suspicious beings, I'll contact you and then you can deal with that. But being here full-time just doesn't seem necessary to me." There! That's perfectly reasonable and polite; I don't see why he wouldn't agree with me.

"Do you think you have a choice in this?" Or… I guess not. The mystery vampire stood up to add emphasis to what he was saying- and it worked. I suddenly felt a lot smaller and out of control of the situation. "Neither of us have any say here. Believe me, I don't want to spend my time babysitting a scrawny human either, but it's not up to me. I was assigned to you by the vampire equivalent of the EU government. If you have a problem, bring it up with them; but I doubt that'll get you anywhere." "W-why?" My heartbeat started to quicken; his tone was just so severe. Severe and honest. "The vampire world has a lot to lose if he gets his hands on you. You're not the only one with something at stake here. It goes far beyond either of us. Understand?" "No." "Well, too bad. That's all I can say and I'm too tired to keep talking."

My gaze narrowed onto him, completely unimpressed. "I thought vampires never slept." "We don't, but our brains still get tired." Kinda like mental burnout, I guess. "So what? You're just going to hang around me then?" "More like live with you and constantly watch over you." "Wha-… you're going to live here- with me?!" My jaw literally dropped, though this shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did. "How else am I going to keep an eye on you while you sleep?" Watch me while I'm…. oh, hell no! Absolutely not! I just lost all semblance of personal privacy or autonomy. And all without my consent. Ugh! Words cannot describe how unfair this was. But I also was beginning to realize that I couldn't talk him out of it. He had his orders- clearly.

With the heaviest sigh I've ever let out, I forced myself to admit defeat; at least for tonight. I'd make him take me to this so-called vampire government and demand that they revoke their commands. That would happen later though; I sincerely doubt he'd take me anywhere tonight. I did notice him watch me however when I turned to head towards my bedroom. "I'm going to bed," I'm not sure why I announced this out loud; he probably already figured that out. "Fine, I'll be in soon." "Uh, no. No offence, but I'd feel much safer if you um, protected me out here." "Yeah- I don't think so. Just go to sleep." "Why do you have to be in my bedroom while I'm asleep? Do you really have to be right beside me the whole time I'm unconscious?" "Yes," he retorted automatically. I had to fight the urge to scream again, clenching my hands into fists.

"Couldn't you just listen? Or better yet, keep watch from outside?" "I don't think you understand," mystery vampire's feet turned to my direction. I felt my back tense up again as his crimson eyes pierced mine. "I decide how to do my job; not you. You really have no say in anything, and the sooner you learn that, the better. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep you alive. Cause if you die, it'll be hell for me to pay. Yes, I'm going to watch over you while you sleep; that's his favorite time to attack his victims. And guess who's number one on that list? That's why I'm here, and that's why I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep you out of his grasp."


	3. Most Awkward Day Ever

You'll never guess what I woke up to the next morning? Mystery vampire literally sitting on my desk chair with his arms folded and eyes shut. I hadn't heard him come in last night; apparently stealth was one of his attributes. My eyes rolled as my head fell back onto my pillow so I could stare up at my white ceiling. This was a nightmare- a literal nightmare; one that I couldn't wake up from. I must have sighed dramatically because his eyes opened softly to gaze over at me. "You're awake," he said more as a fact than a question. I didn't respond, electing to continue looking upwards. Yes, a nightmare; and I'd give anything to wake up by now. Wake up and be back in a world where vampires were a thing of the past for me.

Mystery vampire hung around while I got ready to go to the university. I was supposed to go hand in some paperwork and meet up with some girlfriends, but the latter looked unlikely now. Looks like I won't have a social life until this thing is resolved. A frown drooped over my face as I exited the bathroom to find you-know-who waiting at the tiny kitchen table for me. Just to give you an idea of how big- or small- my apartment is, I have one bedroom with a small desk, one very tiny bathroom with a tub, and a living room/kitchen in one across the tiny hallway. This hallway connected the two rooms together. So yeah, that's where I currently live; perfect for a postgrad working on their dissertation. Not so perfect for two people living together. But mystery vampire didn't seem to care; so very clearly.

With a long, long sigh, I went to grab myself some breakfast before joining him at the two-person glass table. He watched me as I poured a cup of sencha tea. "So," with cup in hand, I blinked up at him. It was too damn early for this. He didn't respond, just staring back at me with that deadpan expression. "Did you really watch me all of last night?" "Most of it. I also moved my stuff in and printed off some things." "You moved….?" I scanned around in surprise, only to find nothing out of the ordinary. If he had anything, he did a smashing job of hiding it well. That's when I noticed him slide something over towards me on the table. It was a plane ticket, much to my shock and horror. "I've booked us two plane tickets. We're going to Brussels next weekend." "B-Brussels?!" I almost spat up my tea. He simply nodded.

"The European Council of Vampires wants to meet you." "That's what they're called? Your bosses?" I eyed him untrustingly. Another nod. "We'll stay at headquarters for only the weekend. Brussels is teaming with vampires and I don't trust them around you for too long." Oh, how benevolent of you, my eyes inwardly rolled. "You know, I've been to Brussels before and nothing happened." "Were you stocked by anyone?" This question made my eyes widen. Well, yes actually….. I had been followed a couple of times in Brussels; the same happened in Paris. But that was the case with any woman. I had fellow travelers tell me on the bus to Brussels that I had to be careful while there. Being trailed was nothing unusual, and I certainly doubt it had anything to do with vampires. I was afraid to tell him this however; he'd probably see this confirmation as all the more reason to be glued at my side. My eyes just lowered as my mouth parted slightly, though no words came out.

Mystery vampire waited a minute before continuing the uh, conversation. "We're going to Brussels next weekend. After that, we're due in Amsterdam in June." "Do I get a say in….. any of these travel plans?" "What do you think?" He crossed his arms unimpressed. I think that was his default attitude around humans, or rather me. "Oh, I'm gonna talk to the council about this," I muttered, sipping more of my now cool tea. "Good luck," he sneered for the first time since I met him. That's when I realized just how trying this whole thing was going to be- to live with a creature who didn't like me. And forget about respect.

Mystery vampire met it when he said that he'd be watching over me. He followed me everywhere! He was like a dog on a leash. From the moment I left the apartment, there he was- constantly at my side. And he didn't look happy about it; wearing a perpetual frown with his hands dug into his pockets. I'd give him one thing- he didn't tell me where to go or what to do, like a normal human being. I guess he really meant to only keep an eye out for other vampires; he could have cared less what I actually did during the day. So in that way, he wasn't uber annoying to have around.

What was super annoying is the amount of attention he attracted. While the weather wasn't sunny enough for him to sparkle, he still stood out like a sore thumb because of his… to be honest, looks. I'm not blind; I knew how indescribably gorgeous this vampire was. Actually, I think his brooding demeanour only added to his uh, "coolness". Everywhere we went, we got stares; particularly on campus. I caught a ton of women gawking at him, and some sending me jealous glares; it was painfully clear that we were ahem, together- considering how close he physically stood next to me. Unfortunately for me, because of the situation we were in, I couldn't enjoy his beauty or being out in public with such an Adonis. On the contrary, I wanted nothing but to escape his observation right now. But I'm not going to kid myself; that's not happening anytime soon. Not with Mr. Eagle-eyes here.

Going to the university was…. an ordeal. Mystery vampire got so many looks, I could feel my cheeks burning like they were sunburnt. Of course, he couldn't have cared less; he was so above all these measly humans. What's worse, I think his nonchalance drew more adoring eyes! If I had a wooden board right now, I would have banged my head against it. And I thought Edward had it bad; ha!

I could have died right there when the receptionist's jaw dropped at our arrival. While mystery vampire didn't acknowledge her, my face was so goddamn red. "Erm, I'm here to hand this in," I pulled out a sheet for my visa application. She didn't react for a second, still staring at him. Then she blinked rapidly, finally turning to me. "Huh? Oh, right!" She snatched it off the counter. With a quick scan through, she gazed up at… us; not just me, of course. "Everything looks in order. I'll pass this along." "Thanks," I waved, more than ready to get the hell out of there. Things just went from bad to worse, however. The universe is funny- and cruel- like that.

We exited to find three of my girlfriends entering the department building. "Hey, Issy!" The blonde named Elizabeth waved at me. Oh god, no! Anything but this! I just want a normal life; is that too much to ask? I doubt they thought that mystery vampire was with me judging by the way they rushed over. "Congrats on getting accepted!" "We knew you would," Jade added kindly. "You must be so excited!" Taylor took hold of my hands, pulling me in for a hug. For once, mystery man showed something akin to emotion at this. He chuckled in his usual unimpressed way at their excitement and glee. None of them were offended though, not even realizing what was going on. They all looked over to him however and I felt my stomach fall right out of me, dropping to the floor. No! How am I supposed to explain him to them? I don't even know his name! And I wasn't about to ask anytime soon either.

"Issy? Do you….. know this man?" Elizabeth asked me, now watching him with pink cheeks. Oh, and before I continue- I am called Issy now. That started soon after Edward left; it felt weird hearing people call me "Bella" after he…. Well, let's just say I didn't like the way it sounded after he said it with that flawless voice of his. Only Edward could do it justice. "Uh, well I….." Oh… oh my god. That familiar surge of fury shot up through me when mystery vampire turned to me and smirked; he was actually smirking at me! He wanted to see what I would say; how I would explain his presence. I think he was getting some sick sort of enjoyment watching me squirm like this.

Of course my infuriated glare directed at him did not go unnoticed. All my friends kept looking back and forth between us, patiently waiting for one of us to respond. "Go on, "Issy". Tell them," mystery vampire eventually prompted at my lack of explanation. Ugh, gross! Does he have to say my name like that? And yet, despite this disgusting push, I couldn't bring myself to say anything; I couldn't think of a good reason for him being there. After a while, his head shook, and his eyes rolled. I bet he was bored of waiting for my brain to start working. "I'm her prot-….." "Partner! He's my partner!" I blurted out without consciousness. Anything was better than "protector"; I'd never be able to explain that one.

Mystery vampire's expression went from mild amusement to shock and repulsion. Meanwhile all my friends' faces lit up like Christmas trees- ten seconds later of course. "I-is that… true, Issy? Are you really…..?" Taylor's finger lifted up in his direction. "Erm, well….." I scratched my right cheek embarrassingly. "O-oh… oh my god, you are so lucky!" Jade squealed, clasping her hands together. "Why didn't you tell us you had a boyfriend?!" Elizabeth grabbed my hand in excitement. "W-well, it just happened recently." Very recently. I be the first to admit that lying wasn't my best idea. But damn…. When I nervously peered up to see his appalled face, that alone made it worth it. Now it was my turn to have some fun at his expense. And what could he say? He couldn't deny it without giving his own reason; yeah, good luck with that.

"Awe, Issy! I'm so happy for you!" "I'll say. He's sooooooo hot! Wait, can I say that?" Jade asked me suddenly aware of the jealousy it might inflict. Ha! No such envy occurred, much to mystery vampire's dismay, I'm sure. "Sure! You can say whatever you want," I encouraged, making sure to add a side smirk at him. His frown deepened towards me. "What's your name?" Taylor then asked him directly. This caught me a bit off guard, but I wasn't averse to hearing it; I just was never going to ask myself. With one last glare at me, he uncomfortably blinked down to her. "Zero; Zero Kiryu."

"Zero? Your name's really "Zero"?" Elizabeth questioned. Zero's frown grew but his head gave a nod. Huh, Zero? I guess there are weirder names. It suited him actually, if that makes any sense. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Zero," Jade smiled. "How did you guys meet?" "W-well uh, we met on the seawall," not a total lie; that's really where we met…. yesterday. "Really? Awe! That is so romantic!" Taylor was the romantic of the group, apparent by the way she clasped her hands together and swooned.

"Wait, what about facemask night?" Jade asked me. Once a week we all got together to put on Lush facemasks and watch cheesy movies. Yeah, like that was going to happen with Mr. Stoic here. "We totally understand if you're busy!" Taylor interrupted before I could politely decline; she was still staring at Zero. "Uh, well actually we're busy tonight. Can we reschedule?" I found the courage to shyly ask. "Of course! How does next Wednesday sound?" "Sounds great! See you guys then." "Bye Issy! Nice meeting you, Zero!" They all waved as I practically dragged us away, not gazing back.

Zero didn't say anything until we were a couple of blocks away and I had slowed down the pace. He was still frowning, because of course he was. "I would never date a human," he scoffed. "Feeling's mutual," I scowled back at him. That chapter of my life was done- totally closed. Totally.


	4. The Murder of Victoria

Nine Years Ago (No One's P.O.V.)-

Victoria wanted to find Bella; she wanted her to suffer. Or rather, she wanted Edward to suffer- suffer the way he made her writhe in agony. Words couldn't express how much she missed James. Who cares if tried to murder that idiotic Bella; he didn't succeed, so did Edward really have to kill him? That doesn't matter now- he did, and now Edward was going to pay. Victoria cracked her knuckles viciously. Oh yes, he was going to suffer; she'd make sure of it.

While sitting on a concrete ledge along the empty road, the vampire's head perked up at the sound of something; it was like soft shuffling of something, though she didn't know what. She glanced over to the right- something she wished she hadn't done. There, hidden in the shadows of a nearby massive oak tree was an entity. Victoria did not know this creature, but his presence was immediately overbearing. It was like stepping into a tiger's den or jumping into a shark tank; that automatic feeling of becoming prey overwhelmed her.

The figure didn't react for a long moment, electing to watch her with a pair of sharp, distinctive golden eyes. This gave Victoria a sensation of fear she'd never felt before. He was watching her; she knew he was watching her, and he was calculating. It was obvious from first glance that he held all of the cards here; he was already in complete control of the situation. Victoria's hand visibly began to shake as she realized that she had no chance of escape. If he wanted her dead, it was enviable. And seeing that, understanding that made Victoria forever absolutely everyone for a moment. For those few seconds, nothing else existed in the world. Only him: the dark man who eyed her so intently, coldly.

Victoria watched with gigantic eyes as he eventually decided to emerge from the darkness. That only petrified her body more. He was a vampire; a very handsome one at that. His hair was dark and long; he had on a black overcoat with a suit underneath. He looked to be in his late-twenties, maybe early thirties; but Victoria knew he was much, much older than that. The crooked smile on his face revealed his sinister intentions. His lips curled slightly as he took a few steps closer to her, and Victoria felt utterly powerless. He was by far the most powerful being she had ever met; all the Volturi were nothing compared to him. And he knew it too.

A tear rolled down her pale cheek when he addressed her for the first time. "Good evening, Victoria." His voice…. his voice. It was like nothing Victoria had ever heard before. Dark, decadent, diabolical. But worst of all, it echoed as he spoke; his voice actually echoed on its own. This didn't help her already shattered nerves, which only emphasised as his head lowered ever so slightly at her. "I suppose you do not know who I am." Victoria was too terrified to reply, standing there with her mouth gaping. The dangerous creature chuckled. "No, you wouldn't. I've been resting for three thousand years." T-three thousand?! That made him the oldest vampire she'd ever met….. which definitely was not a good sign.

The monster eyed her for a minute before continuing. "Of course this isn't my real body. My long rest has left my physical self absolutely starving; I am paralyzed as a result." This did nothing to calm Victoria down; although she knew he wasn't here to drink her blood, he obviously came for a reason. Ancient vampires like him do not send shadow mirrors- or clones- of themselves with no purpose in mind.

"I think you understand. Not just any blood will revive me; I need the rarest of the rare- the one born every hundred years." More tears dripped down Victoria's cheeks as she whispered for the first time: "you need Bella's blood."

He chuckled again; a lustful, hungry laugh. "Not for a while. My body needs time to wake up and regain some strength first. Oh, do not be mistaken; Isabella will be mine in ten years or so. Meaning that until the day I can drink her dry, I will guard her with zealous." _The image of the monster standing in Bella's bedroom, watching her possessively as she sleeps._ "The Volturi and European Vampire Council are unaware of my awakening; no one besides my servants know. But they will soon enough, and then they will try and protect Isabella; to keep her from me." His hand rose up in the air out in front of his chest. His smile began to fade, and Victoria felt like she was going to die. "Of course, their efforts are in vain. I am stronger than any living vampire, even in this form. I will have her." _Another image of him in Bella's bedroom; this time he was sitting on her bed and holding her in his arms while she slept soundly. She was twenty-five at the time. _"Until then, no one will lay a finger on her; not one." This was when Victoria realized that she just lived her last few moments on earth. She was so stunned that she couldn't even react, which seemed to please him. "Which means, unfortunately for you, Victoria; your time is up."

It only took one swipe of the hand, and it was over.


	5. Not Such a Great Night

I gazed at Zero from the corner of my eye. He was currently sitting on one of the kitchen table chairs staring out of the window to the water. His expression was one I remember Edward wearing often; thoughtful, like his mind was somewhere far away. He was clearly thinking about something, though I wasn't about to ask what. I merely kept slicing my chicken, ready for frying. That's when I thought of something; something I hadn't considered to realize until now.

"So," I began a bit meekly. Zero simply blinked over to me from the corner of one eye, electing not to verbally reply. "Making dinner has made me wonder how you….. eat," that was the best way I could think to phrase it. "What do you mean "how"?" His traditional unamused tone- classic. "Do you drink animal blood or….?" "If you're referring to those wussy "vegetarian" vampires, no- I only drink human blood. It's the best kind of blood for vampire knights like me." Human blood…. My eyes wandered off into nowhere for a second while I considered this. Reading my reaction, his gaze scrolled back over to the sea. "I consume my blood in tablet form." "Tablets?" This peeked my curiosity.

Zero proceeded to pull out what looked like a TicTac container full of tiny little pale reddish circles. He set it down on the table in full view. "They're like pills!" I exclaimed in surprise. I didn't even know such things existed. Zero didn't say anything, just glanced back up at me. "So that's like dehydrated human blood in pill form?" "Yes." I don't know why not I thought to pause hesitantly. "Did you… have to kill any humans to make them?" "Only the bad ones," he replied, putting them back into his pocket. Only the bad ones, huh? "They can't taste very good," out of nowhere I found the audacity to blurt out. Once again, his face turned to the coast. "They don't." And that's where I decided to let that drop, going back to preparing my chicken.

"So, this council you work for- how much are they paying you to uh, watch over me?" I really meant "babysit" but was trying to be civil- a little. "I'm not getting paid." "Not getting paid?! Are you like a slave or something then?" Could vampires be slaves to other vampires? They had their own laws so it's entirely possible, though I've never considered it before. His grey-hair head shook softly. "I have no need for money. I do what I'm told, and I get as many blood tablets as I want." "Oh, I see," kinda like their own currency, I guess. I suppose it would be a problem if members of the council randomly killed humans, or even systematically; that would draw in a lot of unwanted attention. "That's weird. So you basically live off those pills." Personally, I couldn't imagine an existence like that; not when there's so much yummy food in the world. When Zero didn't respond, I continued- though maybe I shouldn't have. "That's really good self-control on your part. I knew this one vampire back in Forks who could barely control himself around the scent of human blood. You live in a city full of humans, some which must bleed occasionally. It must be hard for you, seeing as all you have are those pills." "Some humans taste better than others. It's not hard to control myself most of the time."

Once again, irony decided now was the perfect time to strike. Right as he said this, I accidently cut my finger with the knife. I winced before looking over to see Zero staring at me with the widest eyes. It was then I started to comprehend what he had just said. Some humans taste better than others? How can you tell which ones taste better? Wait…. _"I've never wanted a human's blood so much in my life."_ I thought that was just for Edward! I didn't know that this- whatever this is- extended beyond him.

Seeing the sudden panic in my face, Zero lifted his hand up to cover his mouth. "Just go to a Band-Aid on it," he said, not looking me in the eye as he spoke. "A-alright," I didn't hesitate to do as instructed. It didn't help either that on my way to the bathroom, I heard the sound of a lid snapping open and a series of blood pills began to tumble out.

We, or rather I ate dinner in relative silence. I made sure to put two Band-Aids on my finger, just in case. After a quick meal, I cleaned up the dishes and headed back towards the bathroom. "I'm going to have a bath," I announced while taking off my shirt; after making sure I was out of view of course. No response- again, of course. Ah, yes; the bubbliest bubble bath imaginable- just what the doctor ordered. The water started, I threw in some bath soaps, and got undressed. After pinning up my hair, I stepped in, only to let out the biggest sigh of relief. The bathroom- the one place I could be alone in peace, and that's coming from someone who has their own apartment.

I took my time, soaking and enjoying myself. That joy was spoiled a tiny however, when I thought of you-know-who keeping watch outside. I guess… in reality, I guess I should be happy that he's here, if something evil is currently hunting me. But I sincerely doubted that; it's been ten years and I'd never even seen another vampire. If he was such a threat, why am I hearing about it only now? And why would they only send one vampire to guard me? Wouldn't I need like a whole team of vampires if he was so dangerous? Ugh! And the worst part to all of this is that I'll probably never get any satisfactory answers. Just like with Edward and the Cullens, I'll be treated like a child and purposefully kept in the dark; Zero and the council will only tell me what they want me to know. Judging by Zero's been acting- or lack of acting- I'd say that that was slim to none; and slim just left town. Man! This is so not fair! I'm an adult now too; I'm not that teenage girl from Forks anymore.

With a sigh, I shut my wary eyes- only for them to shoot open moments later at the sound of something scratching outside. Bad move. The bathroom door burst open within a second and Zero rushed straight in. "What's wrong?!" He demanded- firmly but peppered with genuine concern. Uh, you being in the same room with me naked right now! My arms instantly covered my chest as I shot him an enraged glare. "Get out!" Of course he didn't. Instead he went over to the window to shut the blind- I live on the third floor, I might add. "You scream like that over a bird?" How was I supposed to know it was a pigeon?! No! I was not having any of this; there are lines and he just crossed one. "I'm naked! Leave!" Zero gazed down at me before rolling his eyes and turning to go. "Don't flatter yourself; nothing in here tempts me." "Great! Get out of here!" He finally did, being "kind" enough to shut the door after him. That insufferable, impossible, infuriating….! I won't survive this, and I shouldn't have to! This was my house and I'm a grown woman! I don't care if I'm a human and he's a vampire; there must be laws to protect me from this kind of harassment. I'm going to look into it! And you know it's serious when a PhD candidate says that we are masters of research.

Zero had the gull to put on the television and start to watch by the time I emerged from the bathroom- one hour later. I felt like pulling out my hair when the cockiest of side smirks barely appeared on the corner of his lip. "Have a nice bath?" "Shut it!" I shouted louder than anticipated. He was still wearing the smirk by the time I finished making myself a cup of much-needed tea and went to sit on the very opposite side of the couch than him. It did surprise me a little however, when he then pushed the remote over to me. I blinked up with suspicious eyes; it wasn't like him to do anything nice for me- I bet it was a trap. His smirk only widened the tiniest bit at my reluctance. "Put on what you want." "Uh, ok? But weren't you just watching….?" "I don't sleep, remember? Just watch what you want; I don't care." Well! Since he didn't "care", I took him at his word and proceeded to put on A Goofy Movie. Fun fact: in my later twenties, I developed a deep love of cartoons, especially old Disney movies. I could tell that it wasn't Zero's favorite, but he didn't utter a word- thank goodness.

I'm not sure at what point in the movie I fell asleep on the couch, but when I woke up the next morning, I was tugged warmly in my bed. Huh? How did this happen? I questioned as I began to wake up more. Then I spotted Zero sitting on my desk chair with his arms folded and eyes shut; his legs were spread wide. Oh, I wonder if he….? But why? If he did, that is. Maybe he thought I'd get a better sleep in here, but no- that would imply that he actually did something nice to me. And that's impossible; Zero hated me. He was only here because it's his job. He has no incentive to be kind to me; I doubt that's part of his job description. With that, I laid my head back down and gently shut my eyes.


	6. Don't Hesitate

One Year Ago (No One's P.O.V.)-

Zero stood in front of the headmaster's desk in the bureau's mean office. The headmaster sat with his arms folded on his desk; his clasped hands hiding conveniently covering his mouth. "He's getting stronger….. we don't have much time." He said before a long lull fell over the room. The young vampire patiently waited for his adoptive father to continue.

"Our sources say that he won't be making an appearance for at least another year or so, but that's not the end of our trouble. Other vampires are beginning to realize what's happening; that their chances consist in a time frame. While Rido's shadow clones have taken care of any potential night attacks, I think some weaker vampires might try to snatch her during the day." Shadow clones could only operate at night since sunlight destroyed them. "You're going to have to go and keep an eye on the situation." "Won't he feel threatened with me so close to his target?" Zero asked in a low tone. "Not if he sees that you're protecting her when he can't. He'll do anything to keep her alive as well; like raising a lamb for slaughter in some sick sense. Just make sure no other vampires get their hands on her, including you-know-who; he likes to visit at night." "He won't while I'm there; I'll watch her all night if I must."

The headmaster's eyes rose up to directly stare into his son's. The mood in the room had instantly intensified ten-fold. "Don't hesitate, Zero; I mean it. Shoot any vampires that get near her- friend or foe."


	7. In Between the Shelves

I'm pretty sure Zero hated humans- despite being one himself at some point. But I also think he was slightly fascinated by us too; or maybe that's just me. Carlisle once told me that vampires can sometimes forget what it's like to be human after living for so long- much longer than any of us possibly can. I don't know how old exactly Zero is, but my guess is somewhere between fifty to a hundred; he just had that aged but not too old vibe. That, and I caught him acting weirdly around me from time to time.

Take this morning for example. I was in the kitchen making myself a lovely breakfast of toast, yogurt, and tea. While cooking the green tea, I was singing the Molahonkey song from _You Before Me_. I was singing it quietly to myself, unaware that I had an audience. Zero had been particularly quiet this morning, so it was kinda easy to forget that he was there. He was once again stationed at the window staring out. In the middle of the song, I unexpectedly turned to the kitchen table, only to find Zero watching me from the corner of his eye. It wasn't judgement or anything like that; it was more curious observational than anything. Of course his eyes darted away the moment I saw…. But I saw; I still saw.

Perhaps he felt sorry for us; the poor, pitiful creatures with such a short lifespan. That would be stupid if he did though. Despite human attempt to obtain immortality, death was completely natural and not objectively bad. Studying years of history has changed my perspective on that- even Hegel would have to agree that history can't end unless the wheel of death keeps spinning. Plus I also think our- or at least my- impending demise made me enjoy life more; enjoy the little things like good food and warm weather. I had to keep reminding myself that Zero was unable to experience such pleasures; that was a bitter pill to swallow, even if he did hate me.

Zero never asked where we were going when we left the apartment each morning. He simply followed me without a word of complaint; at least that was nice. Today I had to go to the university library to fetch some books for my research. This was the first time Zero's constant presence became an inconvenience. You need a university card to enter the library, which of course he did not have. We had to register at the front desk; since only family members were allowed to accompany students, I said that he was my….. fiancé. Zero obviously didn't like that, though he didn't appear as disgusted as when I told my friends that we were dating. So Zero got a visitor pass as my future-husband. Fantastic.

He took the opportunity to scan the titles in a detached manner while I collected my books. I tried to hand one over to him to hold, to which he merely kept his hands buried into his pockets. Oh, what a guy! Mr. Helpful here. I had to put them on the floor as I continued finding more resources. Zero's eyes rolled from me back to the shelf. "Really…" "What?" I asked by this confusing line. "Humans have such a short lifespan and you're going to spend a good chunk of yours pouring over this nonsense." "If by "nonsense", you mean academic history, then yes. Yes, I am." "What's the point? Everything you learn will all go with you when you….." "When I die?" I straightened up with another book in my arm. Zero just looked at me; I swear I could detect a hint of unconscious regret in his face.

"Unlike some of us here, I'm aware how short my time is. And I'm gonna spend it however I want; this is what I want. I love history and I love being a student at university. This is the best of both worlds…. for my pitifully short lifespan." After giving him one last look, I then tried to reach up for a Victorian history book on the top shelf. Dammit; I'm still short! That is one thing that didn't change since my teens. My eyes did widen in surprise at Zero's arm suddenly reaching up beside mine. He grabbed the book and brought it down, holding it out for me. I just blinked up at him puzzled, and his gaze simply met mine. "I can't understand how you're not afraid." "I could say the same. Living for eternity sounds like a curse to me." "It's only lonely at times." Lonely? Wait…. "Z-Zero, are you….. are you lonely?"

Zero's frown deepened as he pulled the book from out of my arm. "It's nothing a human could fix." And I watched as he proceeded to bend down to pick up my stack of books and guide the way out of the bookshelves towards to the staircase.


	8. Protection

Zero and I were walking towards Princes Street after the library. Zero hadn't said much since the incident back there, and I wasn't particularly in a talkative mood myself. I was right, though I kind of wished I wasn't. Zero detested humans, and I was a human; there's nothing to be done about it. The thought only made me sigh out loud. I guess if this whole thing with Zero is going to work, I need to keep in mind that he's my bodyguard; not my friend. I doubt we'll ever be close; hell, it would be an improvement just for him not to hate me. But that's not my fault, so why should I let it bother me? If Zero's prejudice won't let us be friends, then I have to accept that. And I was starting to; he made it easy with scenes such like that.

But just because he was here doesn't mean that I should stop enjoying my life. I had planned on going to the botanical gardens today, and by George, I still wanted to go. It helped that Zero didn't ask where we were going; we kept on walking for half an hour or so. I was happy to finally arrive at the gardens, and while Zero looked surprised, he still didn't utter a word. Just trailed along beside me with his hands buried in his pockets.

Ok, the gardens were good for me- mentally. I think I needed a break from being cooped up inside all week, and this was the perfect breather; well, almost perfect. We walked, I took pictures of pretty pink flowers, and laid down on the grass. I couldn't tell if he was having a good time or not, but either way, I didn't let him spoil my time. By the time we were wandering through the Chinese mountain gardens, Zero seemed a lot more physically relaxed.

Or at least he did until his shoulders suddenly perked up. I glanced over my shoulder at him, only to see Zero staring off into the distance at something; I couldn't tell what. My own spine flinched when his head unexpectedly spun to face me directly. "What?" I had a chance to ask before he said anything. "Stay here," was his only explanation. Hold on, "stay here"? Does that mean…. is Zero going to leave me for the first time in three days? Really?! With one final glance at me- a firm look- he then took off in the opposite direction. I… I can't believe it! He left me! He really just left like that! I couldn't help the widest smile growing across my face at the sudden spur of freedom.

This glorious smile was quickly diminished however, when I began to analyze the situation. Wait, Zero wouldn't just up and leave me alone like that unless it was important. He may not like me, but he was still here to keep me safe. He must have left for a reason. Maybe the safest thing for me to do is just do as he says and stay here. Besides, if I do, I'll give Zero the confidence to trust me; then he might leave me along more often. Seeing that as the rational choice, I sat down on a nearby rock and pulled out a book and read…. and read….. and read.

After about an hour, I was still there by myself and had almost finished a chapter of my history book. With a sigh, I gazed up from the black and white pages. Ok, this was getting ridiculous. How long was he expecting me to wait here? It was pretty late by now; I wasn't sure how much longer I could stay here like this. "Uh, miss?" A voice caught my attention. I blinked over to see a staff member come over my way. "Sorry, miss, but you're going to have to leave now. The garden is closing." Well I guess that answers my question. "Alright, sorry sir!" He watched as I put my book away in my backpack and get up. He also trailed behind me as I headed towards the east gate. I didn't think it was weird how close behind me he was, but that's probably because I couldn't see his now lanky hand extend out for me.

Before he could even touch me, a very loud and familiar voice echoed through our part of the garden. The next few seconds are a little blurry to me. I remember seeing Zero rush over to us, and within the blink of an eye, he was firmly planted in between me and the garden worker- or what I thought to be the garden worker. What did catch my undivided attention was Zero's arm snaked around me, reaching around up my back with his hand planted on the back of my head. He held me so close up against him that my eyes widened more than I remember in a long time. Can you blame me? This was the closest I'd physically been to a man since Jacob hugged me goodbye when I moved away from Forks. While I was now blushing furiously, Zero was glaring daggers at the man. What's more, he actually had a gun pointed at his face, square between the eyes.

None of us said anything for a brief moment. The silence was broken soon enough however by the other man's chuckle. "I see. So they sent you then, did they?" W-what is he…? Wait, it took me a minute to comprehend what was happening. That man- the one who I thought worked at the gardens- was in fact a vampire! And judging by how protectively Zero was holding me, he likely had bad intentions towards me. "What are you waiting for, knight? Don't want to kill me in front of her?" What? Why would Zero hesitate to….? Oh wait; yeah, I would have a problem with merciless killing like that. That must have been the case considering Zero's grip tightening on me; if that were possible.

"Get out," I couldn't avoid the venom in Zero's tone; he was mad! "If you ever come near Isabella again, I won't hesitate to shoot you." It probably was a bad move of the other vampire's when he let out a low, mocking laugh again. "How merciful of you. She won't live long with that attitude." Zero's hand shifted from the back of my head around to the front. He covered my eyes before I realized what was happening. The sound of a gun firing made me shiver, but Zero kept me still. Then he released his grip, proceeded to lift me up in his arms princess-style and rush us out of the garden. He didn't stop until we were securely inside my apartment.

Zero set me down on the couch; much softer than last time when he just dropped me. I looked up at him with still gigantic eyes, unsure of what to make of what just happened. Seeing my utterly bewildered expression, Zero's gaze simply softened. He rubbed the back of his head and shut one eye; though not in a winking way. "Don't feel bad. He knew the risk, and obviously willing to take it." "You….. you just killed a man," I said incredulously, pointing my forefinger at him. "I executed a vampire; one that was trying to abduct you. It was either you or him." This clearly didn't satisfy me, making Zero sigh heavily. "Better get used to it. My instructions were to kill any vampire that came near you." I see…. I see. My eyes rolled off into nowhere, and that's when I truly grasped the situation for the first time since I met Zero. He was here to protect me… protect me from monsters like the guy back at the garden.

"If that's true, then why…. why did you cover my eyes?" Zero's gaze lowered onto me, his stance softening a tiny bit. "There's no reason for you to suffer unnecessarily." "Z-Zero?" This made my eyes grow in astonishment. "I'm sorry to cut the conversation short but I'm dying of thirst. I can barely take it….." He covered his mouth with his right hand, alarming me a little.


	9. The Bond

I watched Zero heave heavily, keeping his open mouth covered with his hand. Boy, I'd never seen him this shaken before. It probably had something to do with uh, "exterminating" that guy earlier. Still, my nurturing instincts kicked in; I couldn't help it- but I did want to help him. If I could. "Uh, Z-Zero?" My hand rose slightly in his direction. Without even looking at me, he turned to head towards the bathroom. "Zero?" No reply.

This scene was followed by that familiar sound of his blood tablet container popping open. They crinkled down, making tiny echoes as they fell out. This pitter-patter stopped after about thirty seconds or so. I listened intently, only for my back to flinch at a sudden crash. Before I knew what happened, I raced over to the open bathroom. Zero had collapsed to the floor with one arm still clinging onto the sink. The tablet container was also on the ground; open and empty. He must have already ate them, and he was still gasping like his life depended on it. But….. I thought vampires didn't breathe… it was like he was dying of thirst. It was by now that my eyes were wide with confusion and concern.

"Zero? Are you ok?" "G-get away… stay away from me!" He didn't yell as loud as I think he wanted to. It sounded more like a plea than command. "Zero, what's wrong? Are you thirsty?" "I can't….." The vampire uttered, still not meeting my gaze. He was obviously in pain; severe pain. "What can I do for you? Is there anything…..?" "I can't….. I'm too…. it's always like this, after a kill." I was right; it did have to do with earlier today. My face flushed as I began to realize that him being so physically close to me likely didn't help things either. Edward could barely control himself in the same room with me; I can't imagine how hard it must be for Zero….

"Just hang on; I'll help you. Just tell me what to do and…" "You need to get away from me!" His voice was much louder this time. "Ze-…" "Your blood, your scent…. it's too tempting…." I… I can't explain why I said what I did next. There is no rational excuse; I just wanted to help him. It wasn't that I liked him anymore now or anything; it was just an innate desire to help another human in agony. And yes, I know Zero is not human anymore but that didn't matter right now. Maybe we can call it "morals". I just needed to help him and blurted out the only solution that came to mind right then. My lips parted as I formulated the words in my head.

"You're out of pills?" The lightest head nod. Ok, here we go. "Would it… really kill me… if you drank my blood?" The instantaneous stare Zero shot me was something I'll never forget. His face was an array of conflicting emotions; horror, disgust, bewilderment, excitement, shame, and above all, desire. I think he truly considered it for a split second. But his mouth opened soon enough, only adding more description to his already full expression. "Why would you…. how could you even ask me something like that?!" "I just…." I had to stop myself before trying to excuse my actions. No, there was no use of that; they were honest and needed no explanation, at least to anyone but myself.

Reading my eyes, Zero ran his hand over his side of his hair in exasperation. "No… I wouldn't kill you if I bit you." "How is that possible? That's not what I've been told by other vampires before." "It would kill most humans… but you're the exception. You're always the exception." Zero…. "Why? Why me?" "I… I don't know….." I think he was being honest right then. "But you're sure I won't die?"

"Why are we even having this conversation?!" Zero fired off a stern glare, his panting steadily increasing. "Because I want to help you, if I can!" "I didn't ask for your help!" Well… that's true. Still….. "I don't get what the problem is. If it won't kill me and you're practically starving, why don't you just….." "Shut up!" He cut me off, intensifying his stare. "You don't get it. If I bite you, that'll bind us together forever," Zero finished when I obeyed him this time. "Bind us together? What does that mean?" "It means that I couldn't be away from you for very long. I'd have to stay close to you for the rest of your life." "Oh… oh! Why?" That seemed beyond bizarre to me. "Because the further away from you I am, the thirstier I'd get. Only your blood could satisfy me completely…."

It was then that all the pieces came together for me. The reason Zero restrained himself, kept himself from giving into his natural urges. It all made sense- he didn't want to be chained to me for who knows how many years. Protecting me because he was ordered to do so is one thing, but being physically bound to me is quite another. Zero hated me… this was the vampire who thought that human life was pitifully short. Of course he wouldn't want to be stuck with me; that was like a jail sentence to him. And me asking must have put him in a very awkward situation… Yeah, I get it; I get it now. Why would he choose to stay around someone he can't stand for longer than absolutely necessary?

Enlightened with this new knowledge, I didn't push the matter further. Zero perked up as I turned to leave the bathroom's threshold. "Sorry, Zero. I'll leave you alone now. You don't have to…." Before I could even finish my sentence, I felt his strong figure standing right behind mine. Zero was so fast that he moved in the blink of an eye. "That look in your eyes just now…" The way his voice erupted from his throat; it sounded more desperate than anything I had ever heard in my life. Pure, unadulterated despondency. My head was about to turn to face him until two bronze arms suddenly wrapped around my body. "Don't look!" "Zero, what are you….?" Good god, was he ever holding onto me tight! It felt like it was challenged to breathe. With arm keeping me firmly in place, his other hand reached up to brush some hair away from the side of my neck. Then he positioned my head in such a way that my bare skin was exposed.

"Z-Zero!?" My eyes grew at the sensation of his cool tongue running along my neck. He took a few good licks before growling slightly- hungerly. "Screw it. You can't have her, Rido; not this one." With that, his fangs didn't hesitate to sink deep into my skin. My eyes widened larger than they had since I can remember. It didn't help that drops of blood were soon pouring down the rest of my neck. It's not that I felt violated or anything; it was my idea originally. But the feeling of having blood being sucked so viciously out of me…. It hurt; I won't lie, it was incredibly painful. Painful and…. My eyes finally winced shut, unable to withstand the throbbing. Painful and strange… I'd never felt so close to anyone as I had in that moment. It was like Zero was peering into my soul. I felt my consciousness began to slip away. Zero was being bound to me in the most impossible way.


	10. One Day

No One's P.O.V.-

A final gasp erupted from Bella's lips before she collapsed unconscious in Zero's arms. He didn't notice as he continued to drink as much as possible. For a second- just one second- Zero lost all control of himself, sucking much more than he had anticipated. It felt like literally going to heaven for the young vampire. After countless years of unrelenting thirst, and drinking nothing but criminal blood, here was the tastiest blood in existence. The only metaphor that would fit would be of someone constantly nearing the brink of starvation, and then tasting sugar or honey for the first time. It was glorious; it was quenching; it was addictive.

Without realizing it, Zero had drunk so much blood that Bella passed out. By the time he pulled his fangs out and his mouth away from her neck, it was too late for both of them. Bella was unconscious and Zero soon followed suit. His mind was in a euphoric state- it was overstimulated. The result was Zero's mind also blacking out. He had just enough time to release his grip on her before they both toppled to the ground, completely insentient. A few moments passed as the two just laid there; a small stream of blood rolling from Bella's neck.

Soon however, the room around them darkened. The living room window flung open with the curtains swaying in the night air. A dark, powerful entity slowly began to take form in the centre of Bella's hallway. His dark brown hair also waved in the breeze, with his head being the last part of him to materialize. The irate shadow clone simply gazed down upon the bleeding girl as his mouth formed to a thin, dangerous line. His aura darkened when his eyes shifted over to Zero.

"You must not have a high regard for me, or appropriate fear of me," the shadow clone hissed in a dignified yet terrifying tone. "I should rip off your head, but that would be too simple, too kind." His eyes then returned to the human woman laying down in front of his feet; his frowned deepened. "Her blood must have been delicious, for you to have gorged this much."

The personification of the ancient vampire kneeled down onto the floor. He proceeded to scoop the top half of Bella into his arms, as he had done countless times as well over the past eight years. His eyes glowed a shade of gold at the sight of the bite marks in her neck; that accompanied with the smell of her perfect blood….. "He bit you quite viciously," his fingers clung onto her shoulders tighter. "Do not worry, Isabella. I promise I will be gentler when our time comes. Until then, I think I will let your guard dog live. He will protect you in my steed; he will do everything in his power to keep you from harm now. And after a while, when he has learned to love you and cannot live without you, I will make him watch as I suck every drop of blood from your precious body." The shadow clone's eyes narrowed intently. "Him and Edward."


	11. Until You are Back Beside Me

No One's P.O.V.-

The next time Zero opened his eyes, morning sunlight was pouring into the bathroom. He hoisted his upper-half off the floor after a minute or two; Bella was nowhere to be seen. He could smell her scent though, so he knew she was still in the apartment. With a very long sigh, Zero propped himself up against the bathtub while staring at the ceiling. His expression was not one of joy or relief, though those would have been appropriate after last night's events. No, Zero was immediately hit with deep guilt and regret. He swore that he'd never get attached to any human; that was pointless, stupid… And here he was, chained like a common dog. This went much further than the European Vampire Council or any vampire etiquette. The image of Bella from behind flashed through his mind. She was and would forever be a part of him now; her blood would never mix into his. It still existed entirely separate from him, even while inside of him. And whether he liked it or not, it drew him to her.

_That's why Rido wants to drink her dry. Blood like Bella's always desires to return to its original source. Rido will not stand for any such inconvenience. That, and he needs all of her blood to fully revive himself. _

Bella's P.O.V.-

Nugh, where am I? My eyes gently fluttered open, only to find myself looking at a ceiling. I felt cushions under me; not the mattress from my bed, more like couch cushions. Sitting up a bit, I realized that I was laying on top of my couch in the living room. A blanket had been draped over me and the window was open. Huh, that's weird; Zero must have…. Zero! My eyes shot wide as what happened last night came flooding back. That's right! He bit me; he actually drank my blood. As if I needed extra-confirmation, my hand slid up to my neck. I let out a tiny gasp at the feeling of two holes. He did it! He really bit me last night. Is that a bad thing? N-no, I said he could but…. Maybe I should…. Where is he right now anyway? He must have brought me into the living room at some point, but he's nowhere to be seen.

Getting up with my blue fluffy blanket still wrapped around me, I made my way towards my bedroom, only to stop when I spotted Zero sitting on the floor in the bathroom. He did not look good- not at all. "Oh my god, Zero!" I immediately rushed towards him, just to be stopped by a look. One simple, deep look. "I-Isabella…..?" "Zero, are you al-….?" My sentence was cut off by his hand reaching up to cover his eyes in an agonizing fashion. "What have I done? What have I done…..?" Oh Zero, my gaze lowered softly onto his suffering figure. He regrets last night, because of course he does. He wouldn't feel any different about me this morning; it's only been one night. He still doesn't like me….. Of course this would be hard for him to accept, this physical bond we have now….

I didn't know what to say or do right then. Should I leave him alone? That's probably best; he likely wants room to think and contemplate the scenario. I did notice Zero perk up as I turned to go back into the living room. I only stopped however, when his cool hand unexpectedly grabbed onto my wrist, pulling me down beside him on the floor. While I blinked in surprise and bewilderment, his expression was dead serious.

"Can't you hear it? The sound of your blood speeding through my veins. While that sound is running through my ears, you'll never be safe around me. Not anymore." "Uh, but I thought you said that you drinking my blood would bind us together forever? How could you be a threat to me now?" I asked, only for his grip on my wrist to tighten. "Only your blood will satisfy me now. I don't know how long I'll be able to control myself around you; not after I've tasted….." "Zero…." My eyes lowered onto him again. Just how much pain are you in? How long have you been starving for?

"Despite that, I can't leave now. Even if you're afraid of me, I can't leave your side…." "I'm not afraid of you," I blurted out before I had a chance to think. But yeah, it's true. When I really thought about it, I honestly couldn't say I was scared of Zero. I have no idea why either; that's probably a really bad lapse of judgment on my part. Still, it's true…. I can't deny that. "Isabella?" Zero's face began to soften ever so slightly as he turned to peer at me. "You won't kill me, will you?" "Of course not!" The disgust in his tone proved it. "Then there's nothing for me to fear. You just have to drink my blood when you need it." "I can't do that." "Why not?" "Because the more of your blood I drink, the stronger the bind between us gets…." "Oh." Well that puts a different spin on it, I guess.

I pondered for a moment, rubbing my finger under my bottom lip. "Then what if you only drank my blood when absolutely necessary? Would that be ok?" Zero didn't answer, instead sighing and resting his head on the tub with his eyes shut. "Don't worry about it, Zero. We can make this work." "Why are you being so kind to me? I'm just a knight from the continent sent here to guard you from other vampires. There's no reason for you to be so self-sacrificing." "Why am I?" This caught me by surprise, partly because I didn't have an adequate answer on hand. Why was I so willing to offer myself to Zero? A vampire who disliked me? Once again, the thought of helping him out of agape love crossed my mind, but this seemed to go further beyond that line of thinking. Then, for the first time in a very long time, Edward's image appeared into my mind. That's right; Zero isn't the first one to crave my blood. This is really nothing new to me. _"It's you; your scent, it's like a drug to me. You're like my own personal brand of heroin."_ I remember that… how much he wanted my blood; how good it smelt to him. Him and the rest of the Cullens. My lips parted slightly as I sucked in a much-needed breath. Edward…

"I…. I don't know. It just…. it just feels right. I don't see a point in not doing it, I mean." Zero watched me for a long moment, like he was analyzing my words and body language. But I wasn't looking at him just then; I was lost in thought, remembering something I forget a long time ago. My train of thought was broken at his hand releasing my wrist, making me flinch for some reason. "You have no idea what we've done. I never wanted this; I never wanted to be bound to a human….. And now I can never be in a world where I'm not waiting for you. It'll never be the same… til your back beside me; until I hear you sigh, here at my side."


End file.
